Celebs need not apply at 'The View'? Casting takes a serious turn

Rosie O'Donnell attends "Howard Stern's Birthday Bash," presented by SiriusXM in New York in January. Rosie could be the last Celebrity-with-a-capital-C to snag a seat at "The View."

Rosie O'Donnell attends "Howard Stern's Birthday Bash," presented by SiriusXM in New York in January. Rosie could be the last Celebrity-with-a-capital-C to snag a seat at "The View." (Evan Agostini / Associated Press)

Christie D'Zurilla

Rosie O'Donnell is a celebrity. The other new panelists on 'The View' might not be

Forget Barbara Walters' retirement: Rosie O'Donnell's return may mark the real end of an era on "The View."

Rosie could be the last Celebrity-with-a-capital-C to snag a seat at the table.

But change appears to be afoot. While the names being bandied about in recent rumors might belong to familiar faces from TV news, there's not a Playboy spread, reality show or stool-and-a-mike setup among them.

From "Today Girl" to evening news anchor to co-host of "The View," a look at Barbara Walters' career spanning more than 50 years in front of a TV camera.

This could get serious.

Conservative radio host and Fox Newschannel contributor Tammy Bruce has been interviewed. WGN Morning News reporter Ana María Belaval and "Take Part Live" host and pundit Meghan McCain were guest hosts this week, with those visits being seen as auditions. CNN's "Crossfire" host and conservative writer S.E. Cupp is said to be up for consideration. NBC journalist Ann Curry, a former "Today" host, is reportedly on the list.

In any case, with only O'Donnell and veteran moderator Goldberg having Hollywood resumes, rival CBS show "The Talk" would suddenly look a lot more starry in the mornings. Yup, the same "The Talk" that last week beat "The View" in the most desirable ratings demographics for the first time in its four-year history.

"The View" now appears to be "going for fireworks rather than camaraderie," Behar told the Daily Beast the other day, noting that the tone of the show had gotten more intense after the additions of Hasselbeck and O'Donnell (in her first tour of duty) and then shifted back.

"By the time I left last summer it became goody-goody again," she said. "Fluffy."